10 Signs You're an Oversharer

By Naomi ChrisoulakisIf you haven't walked away from a casual conversation kicking yourself for blabbing BFF-only details, all we can say is this: We envy you. For everyone else, here's how to tell if you're officially an oversharer, plus tips for managing your TMI tendencies.

We spend more time with our co-workers than our families, so it's no surprise that we sometimes forget our filter. While it's cool to tell trusted colleagues why you're not quite yourself on a given day, save the nitty-gritty details of, say, your love life for someone who doesn't have a chance of becoming your manager one day.

If the barista asks you what you'd like, and you reply, A pound of chocolate and some extra-strength Midol for these killer cramps, you're taking oversharing to a whole new level. Dial down the candor when it comes to unsuspecting strangers, and if you do let loose, just own up and make light of it with a, Whoops! I'm such an oversharer—sorry if that was too much information. And make sure you tip that barista really well.

Everything's fun and games on Instagram—until you wake up one morning with the evidence of last night's champagne-fueled revelry captured in all its unfiltered glory on everyone's newsfeed. Remember this commandment: Thou shalt not post pics under the influence. And while you're at it, change your account to a private setting so future employers can't ever catch that panties-flashing pic.

Oversharing can be a symptom of wanting to make someone your friend—fast. If you find yourself sharing all the particulars of your most painful childhood memory with someone you've just been introduced to at a dinner party, press pause. Monitor how they're reacting—if they're nodding their head or leaning towards you, they're encouraging you to continue. But if they're shrinking back a bit, avoiding eye contact and crossing their arms? Shut up, stat.

Seeing an adorable baby pic on a Facebook feed can make even the most kid-phobic person melt. Seeing update after update about the current status of a little one's nappy contents, on the other hand, makes most of us feel a little sick. When it comes to your kids, don't post anything that would traumatize them at their 21st birthday party, for their sake (and everyone else's).

You've flagged the guy you're chatting to at a party as a potential boyfriend, which might be why you're telling him about the way your ex-boyfriend used to take you on the most romantic vacations. Before you make things messier than a Kardashian divorce, turn the conversation over to him—and non-romantic topics, like the most memorable trips he's ever taken.

You're psyched to work the room like a boss, business cards at the ready. And then you hear yourself telling your potential new employer how much you loathe your current colleagues. Hey, it's normal—we tend to say too much when we're feeling anxious and want to fill any awkward silences. Next time, before you even head out of the house, remind yourself: Silence isn't uncomfortable, it's just part of the natural rhythm of a conversation.

When you want your boss to like you (and who doesn't?), sharing personal stories seems like the natural way to ramp up your relationship. The movie you saw on the weekend? Good sharing. The shoplifting you dabbled with as a teenager? Oversharing. No matter how well you get along, or how many Friday night drinks you've had, don't say anything you wouldn't say in a job interview—because, after all, they could be responsible for your next promotion.

You might think that sharing your preferred method of intimate hair removal with someone you don't know that well is totally fine, and it's true: Some oversharers are just extroverts. Problem is, when people don't know you well, they're not seeing the full picture—and they might end up avoiding the connection that you want if you give them too much too soon. Let them get to know you as a whole person before you start sharing really personal things, for the sake of your future friendship.

Here's the thing: When someone asks you how you are, 99 percent of the time they don't want to hear the exact way going gluten-free has improved your digestive system. So unless they're your GP, naturopath or they ask you straight out, keep your stomach symptoms to yourself.

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* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

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* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

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* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

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* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

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* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Comments

* When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

Too Much Information?

1 of 11

By Naomi Chrisoulakis

If you haven't walked away from a casual conversation kicking yourself for blabbing BFF-only details, all we can say is this: We envy you. For everyone else, here's how to tell if you're officially an oversharer, plus tips for managing your TMI tendencies.

Worked Up

2 of 11

We spend more time with our co-workers than our families, so it's no surprise that we sometimes forget our filter. While it's cool to tell trusted colleagues why you're not quite yourself on a given day, save the nitty-gritty details of, say, your love life for someone who doesn't have a chance of becoming your manager one day.

Coffee Confessions

3 of 11

If the barista asks you what you'd like, and you reply, "A pound of chocolate and some extra-strength Midol for these killer cramps," you're taking oversharing to a whole new level. Dial down the candor when it comes to unsuspecting strangers, and if you do let loose, just own up and make light of it with a, "Whoops! I'm such an oversharer—sorry if that was too much information." And make sure you tip that barista really well.

Insta-cringe

4 of 11

Everything's fun and games on Instagram—until you wake up one morning with the evidence of last night's champagne-fueled revelry captured in all its unfiltered glory on everyone's newsfeed. Remember this commandment: Thou shalt not post pics under the influence. And while you're at it, change your account to a private setting so future employers can't ever catch that panties-flashing pic.

Friend Factor

5 of 11

Oversharing can be a symptom of wanting to make someone your friend—fast. If you find yourself sharing all the particulars of your most painful childhood memory with someone you've just been introduced to at a dinner party, press pause. Monitor how they're reacting—if they're nodding their head or leaning towards you, they're encouraging you to continue. But if they're shrinking back a bit, avoiding eye contact and crossing their arms? Shut up, stat.

Over-sharenting

6 of 11

Seeing an adorable baby pic on a Facebook feed can make even the most kid-phobic person melt. Seeing update after update about the current status of a little one's nappy contents, on the other hand, makes most of us feel a little sick. When it comes to your kids, don't post anything that would traumatize them at their 21st birthday party, for their sake (and everyone else's).

Oh, Boy!

7 of 11

You've flagged the guy you're chatting to at a party as a potential boyfriend, which might be why you're telling him about the way your ex-boyfriend used to take you on the most romantic vacations. Before you make things messier than a Kardashian divorce, turn the conversation over to him—and non-romantic topics, like the most memorable trips he's ever taken.

Networking No-No

8 of 11

You're psyched to work the room like a boss, business cards at the ready. And then you hear yourself telling your potential new employer how much you loathe your current colleagues. Hey, it's normal—we tend to say too much when we're feeling anxious and want to fill any awkward silences. Next time, before you even head out of the house, remind yourself: Silence isn't uncomfortable, it's just part of the natural rhythm of a conversation.

Like a Boss

9 of 11

When you want your boss to like you (and who doesn't?), sharing personal stories seems like the natural way to ramp up your relationship. The movie you saw on the weekend? Good sharing. The shoplifting you dabbled with as a teenager? Oversharing. No matter how well you get along, or how many Friday night drinks you've had, don't say anything you wouldn't say in a job interview—because, after all, they could be responsible for your next promotion.

Bad Connection

10 of 11

You might think that sharing your preferred method of intimate hair removal with someone you don't know that well is totally fine, and it's true: Some oversharers are just extroverts. Problem is, when people don't know you well, they're not seeing the full picture—and they might end up avoiding the connection that you want if you give them too much too soon. Let them get to know you as a whole person before you start sharing really personal things, for the sake of your future friendship.

Gut Feeling

11 of 11

Here's the thing: When someone asks you how you are, 99 percent of the time they don't want to hear the exact way going gluten-free has improved your digestive system. So unless they're your GP, naturopath or they ask you straight out, keep your stomach symptoms to yourself.